Niall Lyons has three bets for this week's big European Tour event at Wentworth.
Wentworth takes centre stage this week in what is undoubtedly the highlight of the European Tour so far thus season. McIlroy is missing due to injury so stellar names such as Rose and Stenson head the field in what is always a fascinating and exciting event to watch. Tee to green game as we know is very important around Wentworth and it is this that we'll be concentrating on. It has always been a favourable event to the shrewd punter as we can narrow down the list of potential winners by analysing who fits the bill to plot his way between the trees here towards a winning score.
This tournament is one that JUSTIN ROSE has earmarked his whole career and given how close has come here down the years I can't help but feel this is his best chance. Putting woes have cost him plenty of tournaments in the last few years but at the same time he is never short of a win or two. Having punted him at Augusta I could not have asked for more regarding holing putts. Sure, he missed a couple of vital ones throughout the week...but he holed a bag full. A lot more than I expected to be fair. I have certainly seen an improvement in that stroke and I feel a shade aggrieved not to have gotten a bigger return of betting him a few times this season. A win is only around the corner and given his affinity for this tournament he holds every chance.
He is the star attraction now that McIlroy has withdrawn and he is experienced enough to handle that. He has a lot of duties and a lot of people to see when he comes back here for Wentworth but his form this year has been red hot. Making the weekend at Sawgrass is a mild success given that the course isn't exactly up his street. Two runner up spots here down the years with a rake of made cuts means Rose holds every chance here. I would have liked a few points bigger but 12/1 is still a fair price and I feel he is worth chancing.
SHANE LOWRY turned up here last year a 16/1 poke and even taking into consideration his recent lacklustre form, I can't have him being priced more than three times that this week. Lowry absolutely loves a tree lined spectacle where long and accurate driving is rewarded between tall trees. In seven appearances here he has posted three top tens. Wentworth is absolutely made for Lowry. A decent start to the year at Torrey Pines was followed by top 20s in Phoenix and Pebble Beach. His best finish since was a top 25 at the Wells Fargo. Classical tree lined layouts are where the Irishman excels and despite some sketchy form heading here he certainly can not be ruled out. It is easily forgotten he was odds on to win the US Open during the final day last year. Tight driving lines seem to concentrate the mind for Lowry and he is always worth considering around classical tracks like these. The 50/1 on offer is a well nourished carrot to gnaw at.
Readers of this column will know how much of a fan I am of MATT FITZPATRICK and I was lucky enough to land his first win at the British Masters. I haven't been happy I wasn't on any of his subsequent wins because I've always felt this lad is still underrated. Long term, punting tasty enough prices was never going to have you in the poor house and given that theoretically Wentworth should be a good fit for Fitzy I'm sailing this boat down the river this week. He is sitting 12th in the betting and I believe history will tell the tale of only 2/3 of those above him having a better record when they hang up their spikes. Stenson has one major victory to his name, I firmly believe Fitzpatrick will get at least one of those coveted prizes. The likes of Fleetwood, Hatton, Noren (even given his ranking), Molinari and Wood don't come close to the talent that this lad has. Granted he has a few attitude problems whilst on course when it is not going his way and I don't think that helps his results. He missed the cut the week before he won the British Masters. His second win was preceded by 47th-CUT-CUT-CUT. He had some better form heading into his win in Dubai at the end of last season. But the lesson is that Matty has the potential to win when he wants. He already has the British Masters title bagged and I believe he will win this one during his career also. Backing him at 33/1 around here won't leave us on the breadline over time. As Morrissey once sang...'You're the one for me Matty', well I've changed that up a bit, if we were backing the Barnrat we might use the original line!
